Eyelet



Aug. 22, 1939. l .l v '.J. coRDElRo 2,170,708

EYBLET Filed April 29, 193'? Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2,170,708 EYELET Application April 29, 1937, Serial No. 139,703

3- Claims.

This invention relates to eyelets so formed as to facilitate theirpresentation to and their setting in work, and While not limitedthereto, they are of special utility in connection with blind 5 eyeletsetting.

When setting eyelets blind it is found desirable to form the enteringend of the eyelet barrel of substantial thickness so that it may act,when the eyelet is inserted in the Work, to push the outer layer of thework beneath which it is desired to clinch the eyelet barrel, past asetting shoulder of the setting tool, and to avoid catching of theentering end of the eyelet barrel into the back of this outerlayer.

Various methods have been employed to produce this relatively thick end.Sometimes the eyelet has been formed as a cup, the bottom of which isdrilled or cut out to less than the full internal diameter of theeyelet. Another method has been to tumble the sharp end eyelets in atumbling barrel until the sharp end has been turned inwardly to asuicient extent. Still another method has been to turn in the sharp endby the use of special blunting dies. In all cases, however, it appearsthat this thickening or blunting has resulted in the entering end of theeyelet being of smaller internal diameter than that of the barrelinwardly from this end. This requires that the spindle or pilot which iscommon- 1y employed to center the eyelet and to present it between thesetting dies and which commonly projects initially entirely through thebarrel of the eyelet, be of a diameter less than the internal diameterof the main portion of the eyelet barrel, so that it cannot firmlysupport the eyelet against tilting when the latter is presented betweenthe setting surfaces. When such tilting occurs it may result in impropersetting of the eyelet. A

further undesirable result of this formation of the eyelets is that whenthe end of the eyelet is split and turned outwardly and downwardly asthe eyelet is being set, this in-turned portion is turned upwardly andoutwardly and presents rough sharp edges which are liable to catch inthe upper layer of the work beneath which the eyelet is clinched whenset blind. When the eyelet is set through and through the initiallyinturned edges are exposed on the back face of the work and presentundesirable rough sharp edges. Y

In accordance with the'present invention a thickened entering end of thebarrel is provided without a decrease in the internal diameter of 55 theeyelet barrel and without the formation of a rough and sharp back faceof the thickened portion in the eyeletted work.

The method shown herein for producing this desirable eyelet constructionconsists in forming the thickened end of the barrel by turning its 5margin outwardly and then preferably backwardly against the remainder ofthe barrel. This results in the entering end of the barrel being formedof a folded and therefore smooth edge, and the thin edge of the metalbeing folded back 10 against the back face of the goods during thesetting operation causes a smooth face of the metal to be presented onthe exposed back face of the work when the eyelet is set through andthrough or against the back face of the outer 15 layer of the work whenthe eyelet is set blind. The bore of the eyelet is of undiminished sizeat its outer end so that it can closely embrace the setting pilot orspindle for a substantial length, by which it may be held rmly againsttilting or 20 rocking and accurately presented to the work for setting.Furthermore, the edge of the metal where it is folded in when the eyeletis set provides a gripping engagement with the adjacent face of the workspaced somewhat from the hole 25 through the work through which theeyelet passes -zand thus reinforces the hole against distortion byllateral pressure exerted on the eyelet.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference may behad to the accom- 30 panying drawing in which v Y Figure l is a sideelevation of an eyelet before being treated in accordance with thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the completed eyelet.

Figures 3 to 6 are fragmentary views partly in elevation and partly insection of devices for forming over the entering end of the eyeletbarrel, and showing the eyelet in successive stages of the formingoperation.

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view partly in section showing an eyelet ofthe form shown in Figure 2 on the pilot of the setting mechanism andabout to be set blind.

Figure 8 is a detail section showing the eyelet 45 set blind.

Referring to the drawing, in Figure l is shown an eyelet having theusual flange l and barrel 2 with its end 3 partly scored as at 4 toprovide weakened portions at intervals about its circumference at whichthe eyelet barrel may split and be turned as will subsequently appear.The barrel of this eyelet at its free end is not thicker than inwardlyfrom this end. This eyelet may be placed in position over a pilot 5, asshown in Figures 3 to 6. The pilot 5 is shown as slidably mounted in asleeve 6, being normally pressed to extend therefrom as by means of aspring 'l seated in a socket 8 in the sleeve and reacting between a head9 at the inner end of the pilot and a threaded plug lll secured in theouter end of the sleeve. The head 9 is normally pressed by the spring 'Iinto contact with an internal shoulder I l on the sleeve. The inner endof this sleeve has an annular face I2 for engaging the flange l of theeyelet placed on the pilot 5.

Mounted in alinement with the pilot 5 is an ejecting plunger l5. Thisplunger is mounted for axial movement within a die I 6, being ofsomewhat smaller external diameter than the bore of this die. At itsouter end facing the pilot 5 it is provided with a tapered reduceddiameter portion ll against which the free end portion 3 of the eyeletbarrel may be pressed by motion exerted axially on the sleeve 6, asshown in Figure 4. This pressing of the eyelet turns outwardly thescored extremity 3 of the eyelet barrel so that it may engage an endforming face i8 en the die i6 so that as the sleeve 6 continues itsmotion toward the die, the free end of the `eyelet barrel is split andturned outwardly as shown at J in Figures 5 and 6. Continued motion ofthe sleeve 6 coupled with a retraction of the plunger l5 into the die I5results in the eyelet barrel being driven in the bore of the die I6 andthe outwardly turned portion 2l] folded back against the outer face ofthe eyelet barrel as shown in Figure 5. This completes the formingaction on the eyelet, which is then ejected by motion of the plunger l5to the right, as viewed by Figures 5 and 6, and the retraction vof thesleeve S and the plunger 5. This results in the eyelet having theentering end of its barrel thickened by being folded back on itself,presenting a folded edge to enter into the work in which the eye-let isto be set.

Any suitable means may be provided for producing the relative motions ofthe forming devices, such being indicated diagrammatically by the arrowsassociated with Figures 3, 5 and 6.

In Figures 7 and V8 different stages of a blind setting operation areshown in which the setting tools are illustrated at 25 and 26. Thesetting too-l 26 is also formed as a punch having a pilot portion El.The eyelet is picked off by the pilot 2l in the well understood mannerfrom a raceway or other suitable presenting means, and is thenpositioned in alinement with the tool 2S. It will be noted that thispilot may engage the inner face of the bore throughout substantially itsentire length, there being no obstructions of this bore such as areformed where the end of the eyelet barrel is in-turned to present athickened edge to the work. The thickened edge 28 of the eyelet acts, asthe setting tools are brought together, to force the upper layer 2&3 ofthe work beyond the setting shoulder 3!) of the tool 25 so that theeyelet does not extend therethrough, but instead is forced through thelower and intermediate layers of work 3| and 32, respectively, andturned outwardly against the setting shoulder beneath the outer layer ofwork 29, as shown in Figure 8. The entering end of the eyelet is thusformed in a double outwardly extending flange, the terminal layer ofwhich lies on its inner face. It will be noted that a smooth folded edgeof the eyelet is presented to the work during the setting operation,while the inner edge of the eyelet barrel, as at 33, forms an annularridge engaging in the layer of Work 32 which is squeezed in between itand the eyelet barrel by the setting operation somewhat outwardly of thehole in the work through which the eyelet was inserted. This acts toafford a reinforcing grip between the eyelet and the work somewhatoutwardly of the bore through the work through which the eyelet extends.The outer face of the eyelet barrel which comes beneath the layer ofwork 29 when the eyelet is set blind, or which would be exposed on theback face of' the work where the eyelet is set through and throughpresents a smooth surface, free from all projections or sharp edgeswhich might tend to catch in adjacent surfaces. Thus not only is animproved appearance imparted to the work, but, when the eyelet is setblind, it is prevented from catching or injuring the outer layer 29.

From the foregoing description of the new eyelet and means by which ismay be formed, and the resultant structure when the eyelet is set in thework, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modications may be made without departing from the spirit orscope of this invention as dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An applied eyelet structure which consists of a single thicknessbarrel extending through sheet material to which the eyelet is applied,

and terminating at one end in an outwardly directed continuous angeengaging one face of said material and at the other end in an outwardlydirected double iiange formed of two parallel integral layers connectedby a fold around their outer margins, the terminal layer lying on theinner face of said double flange.

2. An applied eyelet structure which consists of a sing-le thicknessbarrel extending through sheet material to which the eyelet is applied,and terminating' at one end in an loutwardly directed continuous flangeengaging one face of Vsaid material and at the other end in an outwardlydirected double ange formed of two parallel integral layers connected bya fold around their outer margins, the terminal layer lying on the innerface of said double flange terminating spaced from said barrel andpresenting an edge for engagement with the work projecting between itand said barrel.

3. An applied eyelet structure which consists of a single thicknessbarrel extending through sheet material to which the eyelet is applied,and terminating at one `end in an outwardly directed continuous flangeengaging one face of said material and at the other end in 'an outwardlydirected double ange formed of two parallel integral layers connected bya fold around their outer margins, the terminal layer lying on the innerface of said double flange terminating spaced from said barrel andpresenting an edge for engagement with the work projecting between itand said barrel, and the outer of said layers presenting a smooth outerface.

JOSEPH CORDEIRO.

